1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved leakproof joint construction for a pair of members disposed in abutting relation as well as to a method and apparatus for making such a joint construction or the like.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide an apparatus and method for joining two metal members together with a lancing and staking operation that comprises the lancing and forming of a part of one of the members through an unblanked part of the other of the members, and, thereafter, the staking of the formed part of the one member to an adjacent surface means of the other member to secure the members together in abutting relation, the apparatus having a punch and a reciprocating head that cooperate together to perform the lancing and staking operation on the members. For example, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,901 to Lux et al, wherein the lancing and staking apparatus has a single reciprocating head provided with a first section that performs the lancing and forming step with the punch on the first stroke of the head and provided with a second section that forms the staking step with the punch on a second stroke thereof.
It is also known to form a leakproof joint construction with an apparatus similar to the previously described apparatus wherein a part of one of the abutting members is deformed into an adjacent part of the other of the members so that the parts of the members are disposed completely beyond the plane of the outer surface of the other member while respectively being integrally interconnected to the remainder of the members by tubular portions of the members, the parts being interlocked together by an outward staking of the part of the one member into the tubular portion of the other member by a compaction of the parts. For example, see FIGS. 8 and 9 of this application wherein such a joint construction is provided and the same has the parts and the tubular portions of the two members defining circular configurations.
Other leakproof joint constructions are illustrated and described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,388 to Dunn; the U..S. Pat. No. 3,404,648; to Rosbottom, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,809 to Wolf et al, and the U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,735 to Sawdon.